Lila, the servant, came out from the kitchen.Wiping her hands with a washcloth, she murmured, "It
must be Mige Bennet."
"oh, good!" Joey was ecstatic.
"I’ll open the door.Just get on with your work."
Lila was about to go back to the kitchen when she saw Joey walking out of the living room towards the
porch.
"Joey, take an umbrella with you," she reminded him.
"Okay." Joey took an umbrella from the umbrella stand before stepping out on the front porch.
"Joey, be careful," Lila called out.
"The road is slippery on rainy days."
Joey turned around and raised his hand, making an OK gesture.
Seeing Joey rushing headlong to the garden path, Lila turned around and went to the kitchen to
continue cleaning.
The drizzle beat gently on the umbrella as Joey walked across the small garden.
The rain went pitter-patter and gave out water spray as he walked on the cobblestone path.
All this while, Joey was thinking about asking his mother to cook something delicious for him.
When he was about to reach the gate, he raised his head and looked out.
"Mom?"
The smile on his face was wiped out.
Joey turned around to go back to the house.A man stood on the other side of the gate.
"Joey," he called out when he saw the boy.
Joey stopped in his tracks and turned around to look at the man.
Face flushed, he wanted to leave the man alone.But he didn’t.
Instead, he walked towards the gate.
"What are you doing here?" Joey asked, his jaw raised slightly in a stubborn way.
"Didn’t you ask me who I was that day? And now, here you are, knowing who I am."
"I heard it from Ivan." Victor’s eyes darkened.
"I’m here for your mommy."
‘So, he didn’t come for me"
Joey didn’t know what he was looking forward to.He felt a sense of loss when he heard what Victor had
said.His knuckle turned white as he held the umbrella tightly.
"My mommy is not at home, so you may leave now."
"Did she go out?"
"Yes, and she won’t be back anytime soon," Joey said harshly.
"She went out with my future daddy."
Joey then turned around and hurriedly walked back to the house, leaving no chance for Victor to ask
more questions.
‘Bad dad! You don’t want to admit that I am your son, and yet, here you are looking for my mother! Ha!
I won’t let my mommy be with you! I shouldn’t have tried to bring you two together"
Joey was seething in anger.He stumped on the ground.
The rainwater splashed and wetted the hems of his trousers Lila heard Joey walk across the porch to
the living room.She thought that his mother was not far behind.She came out of the kitchen to greet
Rachel but found Joey alone.
The boy wore a long face and his eyes were red.
Joey was fine when he went out a while ago.Why did he come back like this?
"Joey, what’s wrong with you? Where is Miss Bennet? Didn’t she come with you?"
Lila asked Joey, her eyebrows furrowed with concern for the boy.
Joey shook his head and said, "My mommy hasn’t come back yet."
"Then…"
"Lila, can I go upstairs now? I just want to sleep," Joey said in a low voice, blinking away his tears.
Lila nodded, understanding how Joey felt.
"I’ll call you when Miss Bennet comes back."
Joey nodded, walked past Lila, and went upstairs to his bedroom.
Lila watched him go and then turned her head to look at the small garden outside the porch.She saw
what looked like a man standing outside.
‘That is not Miss Bennet" she thought.
She wondered who the man was.
Joey’s mood changed just when he met the man outside.
Lila thought that it would be wise to go out to have a look.
But she heard Joey call out from behind her, "Lila, can I have a glass of milk?"
Lila turned around and said, "Of course.I’m going to heat milk for you, Joey."
"Thank you."
Lila started to walk back to the kitchen and then remembered the man standing at the gate.
She hesitated for a moment and then asked, "Joey, I saw a man standing outside."
"Yes.A passer-by who is taking shelter from the rain," Joey said in a flat tone.
"Taking shelter from the rain, huh? But the doorbell just rang."
"He might have pressed accidentally," Joey replied, shrugging his shoulders.
"Lila, I’m really sleepy.Can you bring me the milk quickly?"
Lila could take a hint.She knew Joey didn’t want to be asked any more questions.So, she walked
towards the kitchen, putting aside her desire to know about the man.
Joey went back to his room.He lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling for a long time.
The drizzle had turned into pouring rain.
Joey thought that he didn’t see Victor holding an umbrella.
Had Victor been discharged from the hospital? Did he recover fast? These questions kept popping up
in Joey’s mind, and he couldn’t get rid of them.
So, he tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep Just then, Lila knocked on the door.
"Joey, the milk is warm.Shall I bring it to you now?"
Joey sat up in bed.
Lila’s voice was a welcome relief to his broodings.
"Yes, Lila, do come in.The door is not locked."
"Okay," said Lila and she then pushed the door open so he could enter Joey’s room.
She put down the glass of milk on the bedside table.
When she came face-to-face with Joey, she noticed the dour look on the boy’s face.
"Joey, is something the matter?" she asked worriedly.
"No, I’m just sleepy."
Joey shook his head.
"Here, drink your milk so you can have a good sleep," Lila said, feeling the temperature in the room.
The rain was now pouring and it was cold.
"Let me turn on the heater for you, okay?"
Lila glanced upon Joey’s trousers and noticed that the hems were wet.
"Joey, you might catch a cold in your wet pants," she said as she turned around to get some clothes for
the boy.
But Joey stopped her.
"I am fine, Lila.I can change myself."
Lila turned again to look at Joey.
Her worry was etched in every line on her face.
Rachel was not yet home now and Joey was under her care.
She didn’t want him to catch a cold.
Joey knew what was on Lila’s mind.
"I’m going to get some dry and warm clothes."
Then he went to his cabinet.
Lila smiled.
"Joey, don’t forget to drink the warm milk before you go to bed.I think i’ll make some soup for your
mother when she gets home.It will warm her."
Lila then walked out of the room.
Joey took out a fresh pair of pajamas and went to the bathroom.
After changing clothes, he walked back to his bed and saw the warm milk on the bedside table.
His lips pursed, and he thought about what Lila said before she left.
It was a really cold day with the rain in winter.
Getting wet in the rain would make a person sick, even for someone healthy like him.
Joey took the glass of milk and walked to the balcony mindlessly.
When he came to his senses, he was already on the balcony.
He looked down and saw someone at the gate.It was Victor.
He hadn’t left yet.
He was standing under the waiting shed, but with the wind blowing in the rain, the hospital gown that
he was wearing was already wet.
From a distance, a Bentley was approaching.
62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda